Former WCU Player Joey Wendle Called Up To Oakland

HOUSTON, Texas – Former West Chester University second baseman, Joey Wendle, was officially called up to the Oakland Athletics Wednesday afternoon. He becomes the first WCU alum to reach the major leagues since John Mabry retired in 2007.
 
Wendle, the 10th WCU alum to reach the big leagues, was recalled on Wednesday, after the A's completed a deal with the Cleveland Indians that sent outfielder Coco Crisp to the Tribe.
 
"Joey earned the respect of everyone when he was playing at West Chester," Golden Rams baseball head coach Jad Prachniak said. "He played extremely hard. He treated people well and was the ultimate teammate.
 
"When Joey got drafted, I knew he would do everything in his power to maximize his chances of getting the opportunity to play at the Major League level. I am so happy that he is getting the opportunity to live out that dream."
 
Prachniak skippered the 2012 West Chester team that captured the NCAA Division II national championship with Wendle anchored right in the middle of the order and turning double plays at second. Wendle is the first player coached by Prachniak to reach the major leagues.
 
Wendle, 27, is in the midst of his fifth season in professional baseball and second season with the Athletics organization, which acquired him in a trade with the Indians for Brandon Moss in December 2014. He has spent his two seasons with the A's triple-A affiliate, Nashville Sounds, of the Pacific Coast League where he was named All-PCL in 2015 and set a club record for doubles in a single season. Wendle was a sixth-round draft pick by the Cleveland Indians in the 2012 MLB Entry Draft.
 
The Sounds' second baseman was hitting .279 in 491 at bats, before getting the call up Wednesday. He appeared in 125 games this summer and rapped out 137 base hits, including 31 doubles, 9 triples and 12 home runs. He knocked in 61 runs and scored 81 times.
 
Wendle, who was added to Oakland's 40-man roster last November, will be in the starting lineup for Oakland's game against the Houston Astros at 2:10 p.m. inside Minute Maid Park.